Rangers Europa League congratulations due, but Hearts boss still plotting Cup final downfall

“It gets the co-efficient up. Last time we were in Europe here, we were in the first qualifying rounds and had to win four games back to back to try and get into the Europa League.

“But because of teams like Celtic and Rangers doing well, it has pushed us up and I’m pretty sure in a couple of years time when it kicks in again, we’ll be pushed up again. That’s great for Scottish football.”

Hearts will join the Europa group stages if they win their opening two-legged tie (on August 18 and 25) but have the safety net of the Conference League group stages if they come up short.

Looking to build on the momentum enjoyed domestically, Neilson is keen for his players to get used to performing in European competition and then join the Glasgow two in that domain on a regular basis.

“When you go into Europe, it is totally different from playing Scottish football. You need that experience,” said the man who sampled European competition with Hearts as a player, scoring the match-winning goal against Basel on UEFA Cup duty.

“Next season we’ll have eight games. God knows the last time a team outwith the Old Firm played eight games in Europe. It’s probably taken them four years to do it [play that number].

“So we’ll have that experience and the key is doing it and maintaining our league form.

“It is always difficult when you are outside of the Old Firm to try and get into Europe and group stages and then to compete in there.

“But the only way we’ll do it is by trying to get in there continually and build the finances of the club to get a wee bit closer to them. That’s going to be the key. To do it year on year to try and build up.

“Our objective is to try and get into the Europa League, get that experience and then try to do it again. Can we do it Thursday-Sunday-Thursday? You need to make sure you gain that experience.”

But while he congratulated the Ibrox side on reaching the Europa League final, in Seville, on May 18, he is still plotting their defeat in the Scottish Cup final three days later.

“It’s a huge achievement to get to a European final, but, from our perspective, we want to try and beat them. We give them a pat on the back, but we have to be ready.

“Rangers might be flying [going into the Hampden final], they might not be. You don’t know if they will be in this form or that form, we just have to look at ourselves.

“We’ll see what team comes out on Scottish Cup final day.”